from a watry Death.

upon the furface: by which means we faved her

1

NUMB. XXXII. Saturday, October 16, 1756.

I

Speculum Vitæ.

The Looking Glass of Life.

Yesterday spent the Evening with my Friend Jack Tattle, who has for some time expressed an inclination to introduce me to his Sifter, because she longed to be acquainted with the PRATER. She received me with all the Freedom and Familiarity of an old Acquaintance (for the Tattlefamily never knew what Reserve was) and foon began to entertain me with the relation of a Visit she made the Day before to one of her female Intimates, lately married, and just arrived from her Husband's Seat. The detail of this Vifit I shall communicate for the benefit of those young Ladies who are never contented, and yet don't know what they would have.

" You know Miss Wishfort, Brother, faid she, and have often heard me fay, how she was idolized zed by her Father and Mother, who made it the Study of their Lives to gratify her most fantastical Whims and capricious Inclinations. - As this young Lady, Mr. BABBLE, had not a very inviting Person, and was very humoursome, she had not a multitude of Admirers: though as Mr. Wishfort is known to be rich, he received and rejected a great many offers for his Daughter. At last Mr. Supple, a young Gentleman of good Character and Fortune, was proposed by his Uncle, who wanted to fee him fettled. He saw the Lady, made no Objections to her, and they were soon after married. I then thought my Friend might be happy if she had but a Man who would give her her own way; and waited impatiently to pay my congratulatory Vifit, at her return to London. I happened unluckily to be extremely ill, when she first faw Company, and went yesterday to her, fully expecting to have found her the gay eft Creature breathing, as I knew she had always discovered an immoderate propensity to be married, and had frequently fretted herself fick, to fee other Girls have Lovers when she had none. But, to my infinite surprize, I found her fitting in her Dreffing-Room, at Seven in the Evening, not adorned with the neatness and elegance of a Bride, but in her Bed-Gown and Slippers, with her Cap half off, and her Hair about her Ears., She rofe to receive me with a melancholy Air, and cried, Ah, Bell. I am married! - I know you :

are

1

are, my Dear, said I, and am come to pay my compliments to you on the joyful occafion. - I have no Joy, I can affure you, said she, I ant the most unhappy of Women. - I am very forry to hear you say so, replied I; what can have made so disagreeable a Change in your Situation? you seemed to like Mr. Supple very well when he made his Addresses to you. - Aye, faid she, I knew but little of him then, and thought it would be a fine thing to be married; to have a vast quantity of fine Cloaths made in the newest Fashion; to be covered with Jewels; to have a House ;and a Coach of my own, and to go every where without having my Mamma tagging after me. But it's all over - I have shewn myself to all my Acquaintance, nay to all the World, for I have been to all the public Diversions twice over in, different Dresses: and now I am weary of every Thing and every Creature. - Well, all this I expected, faid I, and should have thought you very undeferving of the Man you have married, if you had placed your whole happiness in Equipage and Drefs. Mr. Supple added I, ought to be your only Delight, as I don't doubt but he merits the highest Esteem. - Mr. Supple cried she, (lifting up her Hands and Eyes) aye Child - one may see plainly you have never been married - you talk as if you knew nothing of the Matter. He, all my delight! O how grofly are you mistaken. Why he is nothing - a meer Chip in Porridge :

he has not the least notion of any thing, no taste at all; and though I have been these fix weeks beating it into him, I am never the nearer; will you believe me my Dear; I have had three different sets of Furniture in this Dressing-Room already, and though they were all so sweetly fancied, that I was half distracted about the choice of them, that stupid Soul looked at them with as much indifference, as if he had been staring at a great stack of Hay in the Country. Nay, I dare swear, he would have thought that a much finer Sight.Why, may be he would, faid I, but did you not know that he wanted Taste before you married him - O, no, cried she, the Man was always well dress'd, civil, and did as he was bid by my Papa and Mama; I did not mind him, and as he made a mighty fuss about me, they approved of the Match: and as I longed to be my own Miftress, I consented. - Well, and is his Affection for you abated do you think? said I. O no, cried fhe, He is fulsome enough. - Well then, faid I, have you discovered any disagreeable qualities in him? - No Child, cried she, I tell you I have difcovered no qualities at all: I fancied there was a mighty deal of pleasure in a married Life, but how wretchedly am I disappointed? Yet I can't say the Man has any Faults neither - in short, he is nothing at all. - What, has he no Talent for Conversation? faid I. -Lard, no Child, faid she, I don't know what you call conversation, but

/

but I will tell you how he spends his time, like a queer, regular Animal as he is. - He rises and goes to bed exactly, because it is so much a Clock,. - He eats three good Meals a Day. - He walks, and rides just as many Miles a Day, because it is wholesome, and then pores over some musty Book, to correct his Thoughts and improve his Mind, as he says. - All this is very rational, said I, and more Women would be extremely glad of such a regular Husband. - Aye, may be so, said. she, he may be very rational for aught I know, but he spends his Time, in my Opinion, very stupidly. - Well, but while he is thus employed, faid I, you have Liberty to divert yourself with paying and receiving visits among your Acquaintance. -Liberty? cried she, Liberty, Child? Yes, indeed, with the Fortune I brought, Miss Tattle, Ithink I may have Liberty to go where I please, and do what I will: but have I not told you that I have been every where, and seen every thing, that 'tis all over and over again, and that 'tis infipid to the last degree: yet you would infinuate that I have but juftLierty to do as I please: O! I should be glad to fee him dare to offer to hinder me. - I would foon let him see who would get the better. But my dear Mrs. Supple, said I, ready to laugh in her face at the violent flurry she put herself into, Why all this eagerness about nothing? You are your own Mistress; you married to be your own

Mistress you know; I only congratulated you on having